I always love watching this video because his talk is very funny.

Teenagers are always into some new fad. The new one seems to be i-dosing:

http://lifehacker.com/398342/i-dose-sends-binaural-beats-to-your-brain

The I Dose website (http://www.i-dose.us/) offers several downloadable binaural beat music designed to alter your thoughts/mood. Some progams, like Holosync, use the technology to train people in meditation. In this case, however, the target is different.

I-Dose has offerings such as:

Quit Smoking
Energy Increase
Weight Loss
Aspirin
Intelligence Increase
PMS relief
Lucid Dreams
and so on…

Sorry folks. I’ve investigated all sorts of programs and modalities for most all the categories of recordings offering. Everything from self-hypnosis to astral projection audios to subliminal suggestions and more… probably about a dozen or so modalities including physical, electronical, vibrational and chemical means such as laser lights, electronic stimulators, radionic machines, homeopathics, herbs, etc.

Nothing works except cultivation. If you want to tune out the world, by all means spend your $9.99 for a download but I’d devote myself to meditation instead and solve a whole host of problems, including really balancing myself. None of this stuff will help you increase your intellgience, make a migraine headache go away, astral project, lose weight, turn off depression, … Great marketing names for the website, but that’s it.

These recordings just aiaren’t going to do it. You want to enter an altered state? You have to cultivate samadhi through meditation. You’ll encounter plenty of spiritual gong-fu and “altered states” of non-ordinary consciousness. Mantra recitation, or japa practice, is the single best way to do it if you want to use sound, and it usually takes months of effort to change your chi and consciousness that way.

But teenagers will be teenagers, and often want to rebel or do anything that is anti-establishment or status quo. Folks, just turn to meditation and truly get something out of it. Sages from countless religions have told you to recite mantras for the very things you want, and yet people always turn to this sort of nonsense, as well as crystals, magnets, channeling, shamans, seances, etc. They’re just useless fads. But it’s your dollar. Go enjoy.

LifeHacker suggest that if you’re looking for binaural beats or white noise, check out SBaGen or SimplyNoise.

I always tell people to THINK. They want to succeed in meditation and spirituality, but the field has so many nebulous claims that you need logic to think things through. Thus I tell them to sharpen their wits on real world topics. That’s the reason I bring up real world politics all the time. THINK here, don’t put “love the whole way round” on issues and blind yourself to what’s going on.

If you fail at making the right conclusions on real world issues, then to me I give you little chance to really be able to differentiate so many claims in the spiritual field. You will just be captured by prejudices of your race, religion, country and so on.

So here’s something to think about — draw your own conclusions:

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/rust-discovered-bank-russia-issued-999-gold-coins

IF THE STORY IS TRUE, then the Russians are diluting their gold, plain and simple. They either want to make more money, or there is not enough gold to be put in the coins, or corruption is going on somewhere and higher ups didn’t know. There are a lot of possibilities, so drop the conformity view they teach kids in school today, QUESTION and THINK …

Could 100% pure gold rust? No! So the reason is due to something else. And if the Russians are doing this, are others?

There has been much writing over the last several years about central bank gold stocks dwindling, and this calls that to mind.

This is just an interesting bit of science. What did the Big Bang sound like? Well, scientists have created a little bang, and here is a sound recording of the sound:

http://www.newscientist.com/articlevideo/dn18998/89322524001-what-does-the-hottest-matter-ever-made-sound-like.html

Usually I’m not a big fan of optical illusions, but these video optical illusions, especially #1, are first class.

http://illusioncontest.neuralcorrelate.com/cat/top-10-finalists/2010/#post-2002

Watch it seveal times! Also, the twirling helix got me, too.

I often worndered if there was some way to cultivate that including detaching from optical illusions but never found anything. I suppose it’s the way our brains work. Enjoy

Only great minds can read this This is weird, but interesting!

If you can raed this, you have a sgtrane mnid too

Can you raed this? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in what oerdr the ltteres in a word are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is that the frsit and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it whotuit a pboerlm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! If you can raed this forwrad it

Carol Reed’s “The Third Man” is a film that stars Orson Welles. You’ve heard the theme song for the movie a million times but probably didn’t know it:

What strikes me is one of the quotes from the film, probably the most famous:

“In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed. They produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love, five hundred years of democracy and peace. And what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.”

In times of crisis they say heroes arise.  That’s the meaning. The same lesson comes from Chinese and Roman cutlure as well.

And now for something fun and completely different to break up your day ….

And now for the real thing … listen for the lyrics that they left out when Dean Martin or Gérard Darmon sings …

I know people love Micheale Buble but Dean Martin did an excellent job with SWAY …

And when I want a little fun I like to watch this now and then … their story is inspiring:

People who meditate tend to become a little too serious. Relax and enjoy culture now and then. That’s the lesson.

Just watch:

http://vimeo.com/2769845

Sent in by Bruce Marsh:

“For all those crazy guys who go ‘noodling’ for catfish and & stick their arms down the fish’s throat!! This would be ‘all the catfish you can eat.’

“Each year, a few people were drowning or disappearing mysteriously in Huadu’s Furong Reservoir ( China ). It was not until recently, when the son of a government official went swimming in the reservoir and was drowned that the secret was revealed.

“It is a 3-metre long man-eating catfish whose head alone is 1 metre wide! After cutting up the catfish, people were surprised to find the remains of another man inside!

“Swimming in the reservoir is now forbidden because it is feared another similar man-eating catfish is still lurking in the waters.”

True picture.

Brian writes in, however:

“I think you might have been hoaxed with the giant “catfish” on your blog.  Google images for “whale shark” and “mekong catfish”.  There ARE giant catfish in Asia, but this photo looks like a smallish whale shark.  The clue is the dorsal fin – catfish are bony so their dorsal fin looks like a bat wing, sharks are cartiliginous so their dorsal fins are smooth.  You also notice that the pectoral fins have been removed?  The Chinese like that shark fin soup don’t they? The story could be true, but to me that picture is not a catfish. ”
I’m thinking the picture is true (perhaps falsely identified), but the story is made up. Who can tell with what comes from China nowadays? Ha  Ha Ha. At least it’s a big interesting “swimming thing”!

Nigel Thompson writes in:

“Just want to let you know that the animal pictured in your recent ‘HolyCatfish’ blog entry is actually not a catfish but a whale shark.  The story of the man-eating catfish appears to be another Internet-based urban legend.  Not only is it a whale shark, but whale sharks are filter-feeders and mainly eat plankton and algae.  It’s one of the large, relatively peaceful animals that exist in the world.  These  animals cavort gently with scuba divers.  On top of that, it’s an endangered species.  (I’m no marine biologist, I just did some checking.) I’m positive you’ll want to know this.”

An amazing demonstration …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8YXZTlwTAU

This ad recently appeared on Craig’s list, and has been requoted everywhere.  It’s about why a man with wealth shouldn’t marry a girl just for her looks. I’ll save my comments for the end because I alwasy wanted to write about this. The Craigslist ad starts off with a girl looking for a guy.

Girl Asks – What am I doing wrong?

Okay, I’m tired of beating around the bush. I’m a beautiful (spectacularly beautiful) 25 year old girl. I’m articulate and classy. I’m not from New York . I’m looking to get married to a guy who makes at least half a million a year. I know how that sounds, but keep in mind that a million a year is middle class in New York City, so I don’t think I’m overreaching at all.

Are there any guys who make 500K or more on this board? Any wives? Could you send me some tips? I dated a business man who makes average around 200 – 250. But that’s where I seem to hit a roadblock. 250,000 won’t get me to central park west. I know a woman in my yoga class who was married to an investment banker and lives in Tribeca, and she’s not as pretty as I am, nor is she a great genius. So what is she doing right? How do I get to her level?

Here are my questions specifically:

- Where do you single rich men hang out? Give me specifics- bars, restaurants, gyms

-What are you looking for in a mate? Be honest guys, you won’t hurt my feelings

-Is there an age range I should be targeting (I’m 25)?

- Why are some of the women living lavish lifestyles on the upper east side so plain? I’ve seen really ‘plain jane’ boring types who have nothing to offer married to incredibly wealthy guys. I’ve seen drop dead gorgeous girls in singles bars in the east village. What’s the story there?

- Jobs I should look out for? Everyone knows – lawyer, investment banker, doctor. How much do those guys really make? And where do they hang out? Where do the hedge fund guys hang out?

- How you decide marriage vs. just a girlfriend? I am looking for MARRIAGE ONLY

Please hold your insults – I’m putting myself out there in an honest way. Most beautiful women are superficial; at least I’m being up front about it. I wouldn’t be searching for these kind of guys if I wasn’t able to match them – in looks, culture, sophistication, and keeping a nice home and hearth.

The Guy Replies – We would call you a trading position, not a buy and hold

I read your posting with great interest and have thought meaningfully about your dilemma. I offer the following analysis of your predicament.

Firstly, I’m not wasting your time, I qualify as a guy who fits your bill; that is I make more than $500K per year. That said here’s how I see it.

Your offer, from the prospective of a guy like me, is plain and simple a crappy business deal. Here’s why. Cutting through all the B.S., what you suggest is a simple trade: you bring your looks to the party and I bring my money. Fine, simple. But here’s the rub, your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity…in fact, it is very likely that my income increases but it is an absolute certainty that you won’t be getting any more beautiful!

So, in economic terms you are a depreciating asset and I am an earning asset. Not only are you a depreciating asset, your depreciation accelerates! Let me explain, you’re 25 now and will likely stay pretty hot for the next 5 years, but less so each year. Then the fade begins in earnest. By 35 stick a fork in you!

So in Wall Street terms, we would call you a trading position, not a buy and hold…hence the rub…marriage. It doesn’t make good business sense to “buy you” (which is what you’re asking) so I’d rather lease. In case you think I’m being cruel, I would say the following. If my money were to go away, so would you, so when your beauty fades I need an out. It’s as simple as that. So a deal that makes sense is dating, not marriage.

Separately, I was taught early in my career about efficient markets. So, I wonder why a girl as “articulate, classy and spectacularly beautiful” as you has been unable to find your sugar daddy. I find it hard to believe that if you are as gorgeous as you say you are that the $500K hasn’t found you, if not only for a tryout.

By the way, you could always find a way to make your own money and then we wouldn’t need to have this difficult conversation.

With all that said, I must say you’re going about it the right way. Classic “pump and dump.”

I hope this is helpful, and if you want to enter into some sort of lease, let me know.

* * * *

Okay, now for my comments I’ve always wanted to write. To read them, please see

http://www.meditationexpert.com/life-wisdom/l_honest_craigs_list.html

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